Integrated concrete slab and supporting plate box structure



Nov. 8, 1966 H. M. HADLEY 3,283,461

INTEGRATED CONCRETE SLAB AND SUPPORTING PLATE BOX STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HOME]? M. HADLEY BY WMW ATTORNEY Nov. 8, 1966 H. M. HADLEY 3,233,461

INTEGRATED CONCRETE SLAB AND SUPPORTING PLATE BOX STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 17, 1964 S Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY H. M. HADLEY Nov. 8, 1966 INTEGRATED CONCRETE SLAB AND SUPPORTING PLATE BOX STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 17, 1964 INVENTOR. HOMER M- HADLEY a ed 50M ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,283,461 INTEGRATED CONCRETE SLAB AND SUPPORT- IN G PLATE BOX STRUCTURE Homer M. Hadley, 807 SW. 207th, Seattle, Wash. Filed Feb. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 345,17 7 10 Claims. (Cl. 52-334) The structure of this invention includes a generally horizontal concrete slab in combination with a supporting structure for the slab in the form of a fabricated plate Load-carrying structures of various kinds, such as bridges and buildings, for example, have utilized reinforced concrete construction or fabricated steel construction, the components of which are connected by riveting or welding. Difiiculties have been encountered in attemps to integrate reinforced concrete construction and steel fabricated construction because of the difference in the way stresses are transmitted by the two types of construction. A problem is created in transmitting stresses effectively from one type of structure to the other.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a composite structure of reinforced concrete and fabricated metal in which the concrete is in the form of a slab and the metal is in the form of a box type of slabsupporting structure so that stresses will be transmitted effectively from the concrete slab to the metal-supporting structure.

A further object is to provide such a composite structure of adequate strength, yet which is simple and is easy and economical to construct.

Another object is to provide such a composite structure which is stable and can support a concrete slab having outboard cantilever portions.

A further object is to provide such a composite structure which is attractive and which is clean in appearance.

In general, the composite structure includes a concrete slab which may be used for roadway 'or railway track bed purposes supported by an adequately braced box structure fabricated from steel plate. Troughs extending along the upper portions of the plate sides of the box receive in them concrete extensions projecting downward from the underside of the concrete slab. Such projections transmit stresses fiom the concrete slab to the steel structure and integrate the slab and plate sides of the box structure so that the slab is held in predetermined relationship to the box structure and serves to space apart positively such box structure plate sides.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the composite concrete slab and metal plate box structure, with parts broken away. 7

FIGURE 2 is a bottom perspective of such structure having parts broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a top perspective of the same type of structure forming a railway track bed, parts being broken away.

FIGURE 4 is a top perspective of a fragmentary portion of a modified type of slab and supporting plate box structure.

FIGURE 5 is a top perspective of the lower portion of an alternate type of slab-supporting plate box structure.

FIGURE 6 is a top perspective of another modification of a concrete slab and supporting plate box construction, and

FIGURE 7 is a top perspective of a portion of such structure on an enlarged scale, with parts broken away.

While the concrete slab 1 is not shown as being reinforced it will have in it reinforcing rods or reinforcing mesh material of customary type and distribution. As shown best in FIGURES 2 and 3, the concrete slab includes three principal portions, namely, a central portion spanning between the spaced apart upright walls 2 of the supporting box structure and thinner cantilever edge portions projecting outward from such walls. The upper edge portions of the upright wall plates 2 fit alongside shoulders between the central thicker portion of the concrete slab and the outboard thinner portions, which prevents the upper edges of such Walls from moving toward each other. The lower edges of the walls 2 are spaced apart and connected positively by tie means such as a bottom plate 3 of the plate box structure which, as indicated in FIGURE 3, is welded to the lower edges of the upright plates.

The slab-supporting box structure should include adequate stiffening means, preferably for stiffening the box structure both transversely and longitudinally. For this purpose vertical stiffener plates 4 may be edge welded to the side plates 2 at intervals along their lengths, and such vertical stiifeners can be connected by cross braces 5 which may be of T-bar cross section, also constituting tie means for connecting the upright plates 2. The end portions of such cross braces can be welded both to the side plates and to the faces of the upright stiffener plates. The sidewalls 2 can be stiffened longitudinally by members 6 to deter longitudinal twisting of the box structure. Such longitudinal stiffeners preferably are of angle cross section having both flanges engaged with, and welded to, the side plates of the box.

The box structure is further stiffened by brace plates 7 extending along the upper portions of the side plates 2 at angles to them to form upwardly opening troughs. The angle between each brace plate and its side plate should not be less than 30 degrees nor more than 60 degrees, and preferably is about 45 degrees. Such angular disposition is maintained by tie bars 8 bridging between the box sides 2 and the brace plates 7 at intervals along their lengths. Also, to preserve a clean external appearance it is preferred that the brace plates 7 be located internally of the box structure; that is, that each brace plate extend along the side of its upright plate closer to the other upright plate of the box structure. Also, it is preferred, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, that the up per ends of the upright stiifeners 4 be welded to the brace terior Welds so as to form the basic box structure with an open top. Workmen can then weld the seams inside the box between the lower edges of the plates 2 and the bottom 3 without discomfort because of the open top of the box. Also the longitudinal stiffeners 6, the vertical stiffeners 4 and the cross brlaces '5 can be 'welded in place by workmen in the box. Alternatively, the longitudinal stiifeners 6 and the vertical stiifeners 4 can be welded to the sides 2 before they are assembled with the bottom 3. Also, the brace plates 7 can be welded in place before the upright plates are assembled with the bottom or such brace plates can be placed afterward, as may be preferred. In any case, the entire steel box structure will be fabricated before it is integrated with the slab 1.

In the type of construction shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 reinforced concrete slab 1 is poured in place. To provide a bottom form for this slab plywood sheets between the brace plates 7 can be supported by shoring resting on the bottom 1131316 3. Such form bottom and shorin'g can be left in place but is not illustrated in the drawing because its constnuction would be conventional. Similarly, the form bottom and sides for the portions of the concrete slab outboard from the sides 2 can be suitably supported beneath and removed after the slab has been rpoured and set sufficien-tly. The slab bottom form board between the brace plates 7 should be low enough so that the upper edge portions of these brace plates will project a substantial distance above the form bottom.

As shown best in FIGURE 3, the upper edges of the upright box walls 2 and the upper edges of the brace plates 7 are substantially coplanar. The bottom form boards for the outboard cantilever portions of the slab 1 can be supported with their upper surfaces substantially flush with the upper edges of these plates. By locating the form bottom for the portion of the slab between the brace plates 7 a substantial distance below the upper edges of such base plates, the central portion of the slab 1 between such base plates will be thicker than the outboard portions it the upper surface of the slab is substantially planar. As shown in FIGURES 2 and ,3, the upper margins of the brace plates 7 are embedded in the completed slab, and downwardly tapered extensions 8' integral with the slab project downward from the slab to fill the upwardly flaring troughs between the upright box sides 2 and the brace plates 7. Loads exerted on the slab 1 are therefore eifectively transmitted to the steel plate box supporting structure by such extensions.

In some instances it may be desirable to utilize prefabricated concrete slabs to be supported by the fabricated plate box structure. Such a construction is shown in FIGURE 4, in which the slab 1 is of prefabricated type. For such construction the brace plates 7 are located in positions lower than the brace plates 7 shown in FIG- URES 2 and 3. In this instance the upper edges of the brace plates are spaced below the upper edges of the box side plates 2 a distance to provide an adequate thickness for an auxiliary lower slab 9 below the upper edges of the plates 2. The upper edges of the plates 7' are embedded in the undersideof such auxiliary slab and this slab includes extensions 8' projecting downward from oppositesides of such slab into the troughs formed between the upright box sides and the brace plates 7'.

The lower portion of the box structure of FIGURE 4 may be the same as that illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3 and described above, including the upright stifieners 4 and the cross braces 5. A rigid structure will thus be formed by the plate steel box and the auxiliary slab 9. A prefabricated concrete slab 1-of uniform thickness throughout its width can be placed on the auxiliary slab and its supporting box structure. Preferably such preafabricated slab has in it apertures 10 arranged to match bores 11 extending from the upper surface of the auxiliary slab 9 downward a substantial distance into the auxiliary slab extensions 8'. Also it is preferred that the upper surface of the auxiliary slab be spaced somewhat below the upper edges of the supporting box side plates. 2, as shown in FIGURE 4.

After the prefabricatedslabl' has been placed on the auxiliary slab 9 with the holes 10 and sockets 11 in registry, bars 12 of reinforcing steel can be inserted into such apertures and sockets and grout can be poured into such holes, which will not only fill the holes 10 and sockets 11, but will flow laterally into the space between the auxiliary slab 9 and the prefabricated slab 1' to form an intermediate thin layer of grout. The upper face of the auxiliary slab 9 and the lower face of theprefabricated slab 1' can be somewhat roughened to facilitate the formation of :a bond between these surfiaces and the grout layer. Also, the reinforced plugs for the apertures 10 and sockets 11 will firmly secure such slab units permanently in registering relationship.

The upper portion of the integrated concrete slab and supporting plate box structure of the construction shown in FIGURE can be either like that shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 or like that shown in FIGURE 4, as may be desired. The modification of FIGURE 5 relates to a construction for the lower tportion'of the supporting plate box incorporating concrete held under compression. The lower portions 2' of the upright plates are assembled with the lower plate 3 and inclined hypotenuse plates 13 encod g engthwise of the box. The angle between 4 1 the bottom plate 3 and each hypotenuse plate may, for example, be approximately 30 degrees.

Small angle elements 14 can be welded to the inner faces of the upright plates 2" spaced at intervals along the lengths of the hypotenuse plates 13. Each angle member has its horizontal flange spaced slightly below the upper edge of thehypotenuse plate 13 and its upright flange extending downward from its horizontal flange.

box structure of FIGURE 5 the angle brackets 14 can be welded in a row to the inner face of each upright plate member 2' at locations spaced from the lower edgesof such plate members. The lower edges of the members 2 can next be welded internally and externally to the bottom plate 3, and the hypotenuse plates 13 can then be.

placed in the inclined positions shown and their lower edges welded to the bottom plate 3. Next cables 15 are strung through the triangular passages formed by the up I right plates 2', the inclined hypotenuse plates 13 and the edge portions of the bottom plate 3. The. cables 15 can be held taut under substantial tension while the triangular passages are filled with concrete which is allowed to set around the cables. When the stress in the cables is released the concrete will be prestressed. Alternatively the cables can pass through protective flexible tubes and simply held reasonably taut during pouring and setting of the concrete. anchored at opposite ends of the. concrete so that when the stress on the cables is released the contracting of the cables will place the set concrete under compression.

Next the upper plate sections 2.have their lower edge portions inserted in the slots'be-tween the upper edges of the lower upright plate sections 2" and of the inclined hypotenuse plates 13, and such upper upright side plate. sections 2" are secured to the lower upright plate sections 2 by caulk welds 16 .and to the upper edges of the hypotenuse plates by caulk welds 17.

The upper portion of the concrete slab and supporting plate box structure of FIGURE 5, whether of the type shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 or of thetype shown in FIGURE 4, can withstand large compression loads.

I Consequently such construction can serve effectively as the upper component of a beam. The particular construction shown in FIGURE 5 provides greater efiiciency for the lower portion of such composite structure to,

serve as the tension side of a beam than the construction shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 because the tension stress exerted on the lower portion of this structure will produce tension in the cables 15 bonded to the concrete filling the triangular passages or corridors, as well as the upright plate portions 2' and the lower plate 3 being placed in tension. Also, the hypotenuse plates 13 will function as additional tension members and the mass of the concrete filling the triangular passages will strongly resist lateral deflection or twisting of the supporting plate box structure.

In FIGURE 6 the concrete slab is shown as including a central portion 18 having its edges supported by two side portions 19. The composite width of these three slabs would be suificient to form a double lane roadway. Curbs 20 are provided along the margins of such roadway. Each of the side sections 19 is supported by a plate box structure including sides 21 and a connecting bottom 22. In

this instance the sides 21 flare upwardly to broaden the area of the side slabs supported.

In general, the construction of the slab-supporting plate box structure is similar to that described in connection with FIGURES l, 2 and 3, except that in this instance the cross braces 23 extend from the central portion of a Thereafter the cables can be stretched and.

cross strut 24 upward and outward to the walls 21, instead of the central portions of such cross braces crossing. The sides of the box are stiffened by upright stifiener members 4 and, if desired, longitudinal stitieners may extend along the walls 21, as in the type of structure described previously. The brace plates 7 are like those described above and they are held in place by tie bars 8. In this structure extensions project downward from the concerete slab into the trough portions formed by the brace plates and the side plates 21, as previously described. After the box supports have been fabricated, as shown in FIGURE 6, the reinforced concrete slabs 19 will be poured in place and subsequently the central concrete slab section 18 will be poured in place with its edges being supported by being keyed into the adjacent edges of the concrete slab sections 19.

I claim:

1. A composite concrete slab and supporting plate box structure comprising a bottom plate, two upright side plates having their lower deges bonded to said bottom plate in spaced relationship, a brace plate inclined relative to the upper portion of each side plate, having its lower edge secured to the side of its side plate nearer the other side plate and forming with the upper portion of its side plate a V-shaped trough, and a concrete slab spanning between said brace plates and having portions extending downward into such troughs.

2. An integrated concrete slab and supporting plate box structure comprising a box having a bottom, upright plate sides projecting upward from said bottom in spaced relationship, and brace plate means extending alongside and secured to upper portions of said upright sides and forming with such upper portions of said sides, respectively, upwardly opening troughs, and a concrete slab spanning the space between said upright plate sides and having extensions projecting downwardly into said troughs for transmitting stress from said slab to said box.

3. The slab and box structure defined in claim 2, in which the brace plate means extends along that side of each upright plate side closer to the other upright plate side.

4. The slab and box structure defined in claim 2, in which the brace plate means includes a plate inclined from its upright plate side upward and away from such upright plate side.

5. The slab and box structure defined in claim 4, in which the upper margins of the brace plates are embedded in the lower portion of the concrete slab.

6. The slab and box structure defined in claim 4, in which the upper edges of the brace plates and the upper edges of the upright plate sides are disposed in substantially coplanar relationship.

7. The slab and box structure defined in claim 4, in which the upper edges of the brace plates are disposed in substantially coplanar relationship, but are located substantially lower than the upper edges of the upright plate sides.

8. The slab and box structure defined in claim 7, in which the concrete slab includes an auxiliary slab component located lower than the upper edges of the upright plate sides, spanning between the brace plates, and the upper margins of the brace plates being embedded in the underside of said auxiliary concrete slab component, a prefabricated concrete slab component overlying said auxiliary concrete slab component, and means interconnecting said auxiliary concrete slab component and said prefabricated concrete slab component.

9. An integrated concrete slab and supporting plate box structure comprising a box having a bottom, upright plate sides projecting upward from said bottom in spaced relationship, hypotenuse plates inclined relative to said upright plate sides and said bottom and forming with said upright plate sides and said bottom substantially horizontal passages of triangular cross section, concrete substantially filling said passages, stressed cable means extending longitudinaly through said passages and embedded in the concrete therein, and a concrete slab spanning the space between said upright plate sides.

10. An integrated concrete slab and supporting plate structure comprising a pair of substantially parallel upright supporting plates, brace plate means extending alongside and secured to said upright plates in positions inclined relative thereto for forming upwardly flaring troughs, a concrete slab spanning the space between and supported by said upright plates and having extensions projecting downwardly therefrom into said troughs, respectively, for connecting said upright plates and transmitting stress from said concrete slab to said upright plates, and tie means extending between and connecting portions of said upright plates below said brace plate means and spaced downward from said concrete slab.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,171 1/1935 Wilson 52236 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,295,131 4/ 1962 France.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. J. L. RIDGILL, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COMPOSITE CONCRETE SLAB AND SUPPORTING PLATE BOX STRUCTURE COMPRISING A BOTTOM PLATE, TWO UPRIGHT SIDE PLATES HAVING THEIR LOWER EDGES BONDED TO SAID BOTTOM PLATE IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, A BRACE PLATE INCLINED RELATIVE TO THE UPPER PORTION OF EACH SIDE PLATE, HAVING ITS LOWER EDGE SECURED TO THE SIDE OF ITS SIDE PLATE NEARER THE OTHER SIDE PLATE AND FORMING WITH THE UPPER PORTION OF ITS SIDE PLATE A V-SHAPED TROUGH, AND A CONCRETE SLAB SPANNING BETWEEN SAID BRACE PLATES AND HAVING PORTIONS EXTENDING DOWNWARD INTO SUCH TROUGHS. 